Primary Health Care

AimDescribe the strategies of PHC adopted in

developing countries.Comment on the effectiveness of these

strategies.

Primary Health Care

• Primary Health Care is providing the very basic type of health care for the population of the country.

• Many ELDC governments can not afford elaborate health care systems so in order to improve general health care they provide PHC.

Example of PHC

• Advice on diet.• Advice on food preparation.• Dispensing of commonly required drugs.• Treatment of minor aliments.• Family planning.• Child care.• Basic sanitation education e.g. washing

hands and boiling water.

Barefoot Doctors

• Earliest attempts to provide PHC.

• China 1960’s.

• Local people are trained as medical auxiliaries called BAREFOOT DOCTORS.

• Part time HEALTH WORKERS.

• Basic training in straightforward illness, vaccinations and health education.

Effectiveness of BFD’s

Success Failure

Originally very successful.

Locals trust the Barefoot Doctors.

Barefoot Doctors can speak the language.

Still large numbers of communities who don’t have access to doctors.

Can be expensive to train people.

Once trained many migrate away from the community looking for better work.

Lack basic medical supplies and may use non medical treatment

Low cost, low tech solutions.

• ORT – Oral Rehydration Therapy. A solution of water, salt and sugar to deal with the dehydration resulting from acute diarrhoea. Cheap and very effective.

• Large scale immunization programmes.

• Education